Pro-Moscow officials in Chechnya say federal forces have killed a separatist leader believed to have been involved in a number of terrorist attacks.

Authorities say Rizvan Chitigov was killed Wednesday in a special operation in Chechnya's Shali district.

The Itar-Tass news agency says in 2001 he had considered producing poisonous substances to use against federal forces. The agency quotes pro-Moscow Chechen President Alu Alkhanov saying the slain leader was a hard-line field commander with a long record of killing law enforcement and government officials.

Russian troops have been battling separatists in Chechnya for most of the past decade.